This invention relates to a manifold module for a beverage dispensing system, and more particularly, for a beverage dispensing system in which several different beverages are dispensed from a single beverage dispensing head by pressing an appropriate button.
Hand-held beverage dispensers which provide the operator with the ability to dispense a number of different beverages by merely pressing an appropriate button have become quite popular. One example of such a dispenser is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,692 to Valiyee et al, assigned to the assignee of the instant application, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Such a system includes a beverage dispensing head with a number of buttons, each corresponding to a different beverage. The head is fed by a number of beverage tubes, usually encased in a flexible metal sheath (or “flex hose”) that terminates in a tube collector housing that connects the head to a flow control module assembly mounted to the underside of the bar, or to another fixed location. Inside the tube collector, the flex hose terminates, and the beverage tubes are spread out from one another through the tube collector to terminate at the other side of the tube collector at specific, splayed out locations, where they are inserted into the flow control module assembly. At the other side of the flow control module assembly is a second set of tubes, which connect the flow control module assembly to containers of soda water, soft drink syrups, and the like, so that each beverage tube is indirectly fed by a container. Both sets of tubes are removable from the flow control module assembly for cleaning and repair of various parts, and for replacement of empty beverage containers.
This system is advantageous in that the beverage containers, the flow control module assembly, the beverage tubes, the secondary tubes, and the like, are all safely stowed under the bar and out of the way, with only the beverage dispensing head and flex hose visible. However, in bars and restaurants with narrow bars, there may not be room for the secondary tubes, the flow control module assembly, and the tube collector that encases the beverage tubes to fit within the width of the bar.